Carbonel series facts for kids
The Carbonel series is a set of exciting children's books written by Barbara Sleigh. These stories are all about a special cat who happens to be a king! The first book came out in 1955, and there are three books in total. They were published by Puffin Books and Bobbs-Merrill. The series is based on an old British folk tale called "The King of the Cats." Many people loved the first book, Carbonel, and it was even called a "Book of the Month" by Young Elizabethan magazine. They said it was a "most sensible, it-could-easily-have-happened fairy story."
What are the Carbonel books about?
The main character is a girl named Rosemary. One day, she buys a broom and a cat from a messy woman at the market. To her surprise, the cat starts talking! Rosemary soon learns that the woman was a witch named Mrs. Cantrip.
The talking cat is actually Carbonel, the King of the Cats! He was kidnapped by Mrs. Cantrip and needs help to get back to his throne. Carbonel is under a spell that makes him unable to return. So, Rosemary and her friend John must learn some magic. They need to find Mrs. Cantrip again to break the spell. It's a big adventure to help a royal cat!
The first two books in the series are very connected. Carbonel is a unique cat. He doesn't act much like a normal cat. Instead, he sounds more like a grown-up who is a bit impatient.
What are the books in the series?
There are three books in the Carbonel series:
- Carbonel: the King of the Cats, first published in 1955.
- The Kingdom of Carbonel, first published in 1961.
- Carbonel and Calidor, first published in 1978.
